Rhett Griggs, MD

TEAM PREP USA - TEAM MEDICAL DOCTOR

Dr. Griggs was born and raised in Jackson, Wyoming. Similar to the Gunnison Valley 30 years ago, he grew up skiing, biking, pack tripping, hunting and playing team sports. He competed in multiple Junior Olympics with ski racing, was a member of a State champion football team, multiple little league all-star baseball teams and loved to spend time with his family in the backcountry.

He attended Colorado State University for two years where he started to compete in cycling. He then transferred to Loma Linda University to complete his degree in Occupational Therapy and to ride year ’round. His clinicals for OT were completed in Hawaii where he was able to bike race and learn to surf. He then moved to New Orleans to complete a hand therapy fellowship for six months. After completion, he went to Denver to live and work enough to race his road and mountain bike for two years. He then moved back to Jackson to start Teton Hand Therapy with his mother; they worked together for two years prior to medical school. Working closely with hand and sports surgeons in Denver and Jackson sparked his interest in orthopedics and he decided to return to school. He completed his M.D. at Saba University School of Medicine. He then did his internship with Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. His orthopedic residency was completed with Maricopa in Phoenix, AZ for his 2nd and 3rd years where he gained extensive exposure to trauma and sports medicine. He completed his 4th and 5th years of residency at the University of Florida in Gainesville where again he had significant exposure to sports medicine and orthopedic trauma. He still had a love for hand, elbow and shoulder and decided to do a fellowship in this with his mentor Dr. Paul Dell in Gainesville. During fellowship, he was able to hone his skills and knowledge in microvascular surgery, reconstruction, hand, elbow and shoulder arthroscopy and arthroplasty as well as continue covering trauma cases with his trauma attending and friend Richard Vlasak, M.D.

Once the fellowship concluded, Dr. Griggs interviewed all over the country, however came to the conclusion that he wanted to raise his children in a place similar to Jackson. He moved to Crested Butte in July 2008 and has worked diligently to provide patients with superior care since then. He is excited to be a part of this community and the lifestyle it provides. He continues to be an orthopedic trauma consultant with Smith and Nephew, consults with Pearl Izumi cycling company, speaks regularly on the topic of hand surgery, is a team physician for USA cycling and Stan’s No tubes women’s elite team, Western State college and the GO sports teams. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.